Turpentine process.



terial or residuum that may collect on the bottom 18 through the pipe 19to any distance from the still that may be desired, and by this meansthe combustible or inflammable substances will'be prevented fromremaining in the still, with material advantages from a commercialstandpoint in complying with the requirements of insurance laws andrules. v

To prepare the apparatus for carrying out the process the cage orcarrier 14 is charged or filled witlflsawdust and inserted in the body 5of the still. The cap 7 is then closed and secured and the valves 23 and25 respectively of pipes 22 and 24 are closed and the valve 20 of theoutlet pipe 19 opened. The valve 11 of the steam-inlet pipe 10 is thenopened and a charge of steam is admitted above the top of the cage orcarrier 14 and forced downwardly through the contents or sawdust in thelatter to drive all air down- Wardly toward the bottom of the still andout through the pipe 19. This preliminary step of driving-out the airfrom the material treated is very important as it encourages a thoroughelimination or extraction of the products of the sawdust and the valve20 of I pipe 19 remains in open condition until the thermometer 21registers 212 and steam issues from the pipe 19. The valve 20 is theninstantly closed as well as the valve 11 of pipe 10 and the valve 23 ofpipe 22 is opened, thereby causing the turpentine laden vapor to riseand pass out through the said pipe 22 to the condenser 22. It will beunderstood that the. steam permeates the mass of sawdust andaconsiderable volume' of steam, relatively to the capacity of the stillor. retort, is admitted to the still, and at first the lower temperatureof the still when the steam .is admitted thereto will correspondinglyreduce the temperature of the steam and the degree oftemperatureindicated by the flow at the pipe 19 may for some littletimebe below 212, and the steam is permitted to pass out of the pipe 19until the retort .or still becomes fully heated to 212, for instance,and when such temperature shows at the outlet pipe 19 the volume ofsteam within the still or retort will be quite large. It is obvious thatthe greater pressure of the steam will be in the'top of the retortnearest the inlet point therefor, and hence the steam is'drivendownwardly through the mass of sawdust and as soon as the temperature of212 is indicated at the outlet pipe 19 the operator will know that theelimination of. turpentine from the sawdust be immediately efiected andthe valves 11 and 20 will 50 be promptly closed and the valve 23 of pipe22 will immediately opened sothat the steam within the still may beallowed to escape only by flowing upwardly around the basket or carriercontaining the sawdust, s1 and as the steam rises the pressure greatertoward the topof the still than at the bottom and the heavier substanceel minated will be promptly gravitated to the bottom of the still;whereas thelighter turpentine vapors of a pure character will escapethrough the pipe 22 and valve 23 without carrying therewith anydeleterious mat- .ter. This operation is materially distinguished fromthe treatment of large pieces .of turpentine bearing wood to which agreater heat must be applied and with which solvents must be used inorder to extract the turpentine and resinous substances and oils.

It is proposed by this process to take out of the sawdust whatturpentine may be therein with material advantage in the output of suchindustry. The space between the cage or carrier 14 is considerablygreater in capacity than the outlet pipe 22 and the vapors 'risin insaid space will be held in suspense sufliciently long to cause theheavler portions of the vapors to condense and descend to the bottom ofthe still body and escape .through the pipe 19 as may be ,desired. In

view of the seal or tight joint-between the rim 13 of the cage orcarrier and the annular ledge 12, the vapors remaining suspended in thespace between the body of the still and the cage will be prevented frompassing through the joint thus formed and be caused to escape solelythrough the pipe 22. The steam admitted to the top of the still, ashereinbefore explained, by its pressure is caused to pass fully downthrough the and condensation within the still resultsin a refinement ofthe lighter portion of the vapors or the turpentine and a separation ofthe rosin oil from the turpentine is positively condenser 22' and passthrough the latter, the resultant condensation is pure turpen'efi'ected' so that when these vapors enter the tine which is ready forthe market or com-' mercial use without being subjected to furthertreatment to refine the same. After the chargeinthe cage lhasbeentreated asjust explained, the cage is removed from the still and thecharge released therefrom and replaced by a new or untreated charge ofsaw 105 charge in the cage, first forcing the air out i dust or othermaterial and reinserted in the still when the same process may becarried on. At proper intervals or when found necessary the valves 11and 23 in pipes and. 5. 22 respectively will be closed, and the valves20 and 25 of pipes 19 and 24 -respectively will be opened to admit steamunder pressure into the space between the cage 14 and thebody of thestill and against the bottom 10 18 of the latter to blow any sediment orresiduum remaining in the still out through the pipe 19 to clean out thestill and keep the latter in safe condition and in full compliance withthe most technical requirements 4 of lnsurance companies relative tomanufac- 20 steam'supply is convenient and in view of the economy in theproduction of refinedturpentine or the dual steps of distillation andrefinement within the still and Without requiring subsequent treatmentof the turpentine after it passes ofi from the condenser, the cost ofmanufacture of turpentine is materially reduced, and it is obvious thatthe process may be carried on with advantage in connection with sawmills to $0 treat the sawdust as produced and without deteriorating thesawdust as a practical fuel. The process may be carried on very close toa mill and as no attention is necessary relative to the subsequentrefinement of the turpentine product issuing from the condenser, thestill or retort may be easily controlled andethe process practicallycarried out with a minimized number of attendants in contradistinctionto that class of stills wherein turpentine processes are practisedrequiring observation and separation of dirt and other products from theturpentine or condensed vapors issuing from the condenser. The use ofsteam as the eliminating medium without resorting to the application ofany other solvent is also important from a standpoint of. economy,especially in view of the fact that one steaming or the admission of apredeterminedcharge of steam to the still or retort efi'ects thedistillation. of

the products from the raw material and also a simultaneous refinement ofthe turpentine so that the condensed vapors issuing from vthe condensermay be immediately used without further refinement.

What is claimed is:

1. A process of simultaneously distilling and refining turpentine,consisting in disposing a charge of comminutedterpene bearing materialin a retort, injecting a charge of steam through the material to driveout the air therefrom to the exterior of the retort and also to heat thelatter and the mass to a turpentine separating degree and preventing theescape of any of the turpentine bearing vapors through the preliminaryair escape means and after the retort and the material have reached atemperature at which the turpentine will separate from the material andthereby causing the heavier substances to separate and gravitate fromthe turpentine bearing vapors while the latter are rising in the retort,and finally permitting the turpentine bearing vapors to escape from theretort and be condensed to produce pure turpentine.

2. The process of simultaneously distih ling and refining turpentine,consisting in disposing a charge of comminuted turpentine bearingmaterial in a retort having a closable air vent and steam outlet,injecting a charge of steam downwardly through the 'material to driveout the air and also. to

heat the charge of comnn'nuted turpentine bearing material to a degreeof turpentine extraction, closing the air outlet and cutting off theinjection of steam from the retort when the mass treated and the retorthave reached a degree of heat necessary to separate the turpentine fromthe turpentine bearing material, and finally permitting all of thevapors within the retort to rise in the latter and the heavier portionsof the vapors to condense and gravitate by coming in contact with theouter cooler portion of the retort and permitting the lighter pureturpentine vapors to escape from the retort andbe condensed to producerefined turpentine. Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSHUA G. GARDNER. Witnesses:

CHAS. S. HYER, (has. A. Rown,

